War Years '39 - '45. Happy Lunar New Year 2025: Shanghai Pop: By J.T. Chen

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It is this time of the year that we start sending out greetings for the Chinese Lunar New Year. That message may include some songs from that era when Shanghai Pop started. 

Today, may I invite you to listen to some of the originals from 30s and 40s with some accompanying footnote.

One of the most popular times is 恭喜恭喜 by brother and sister team of 姚敏 and  姚莉 （attachment 1)。 They work their magic with their interweaving vocals accompanied by a guitar. This song a cathartic expression of the daily survival of the difficult time China was undergoing through with occupation by Japan and the concession of certain parts to western nations during  他the war years of the 30s and 40s.

The concession carved out a safe conclave  in which  denizens of Shanghai escaped into a make-believe world of movies, both local and western, and enjoyed the melding of western music and local folk fare. 

Big band and jazz descended upon Shanghai with the immigration of Russian musicians (picture of band in attachment 2). They plied their artistic talents in recording studios, primarily dominated by Pathe, and dance floors of well known clubs such as the Black Cat （attachment 3）

This period spawned a genre known as 时代曲 'shi dai qu'.  Apart from having the light and competent flight of fingers over piano, guitars, flutes, these war years were blessed with academically trained writers such as Chen Ge-Xin  and Liu Ru-Zeng,  not forgetting Yan Hua 严华 and Yao Min 姚敏. The result was stunning with intricate arrangements of the various instruments, and the weaving of the vocals.  Example is 醉人的口红虹 （attachment 4 ）。

May I wish a happy new year with 贺新年by 张帆 （attachment 5）。 It borrows very heavily from ‘Jingle Bells’.

Comments are always welcome.

Author: JT CHEN.

Very grateful JT for such an awesome peek into this period of Shanghai's popular scene. Andy.

https://youtu.be/vEE76P3ofwg?si=6W8iWFpWyV6HPVeD

[1] 恭喜恭喜—Congratulations.

[中華民國抗日戰爭勝利歌曲]

YouTube Video from: Chiyomi Anchovy.

[2] The Russian Combo

Photo by Wong Kee Chee

https://youtu.be/FcnfjDEy4h0?si=XcEnAVoa8kofL9vH

 

[3] 歌女之歌] 愛神的箭 - 周璇 Zhou Xuan

YouTube Video by: lovisblu

https://youtu.be/SJ92FMHwhQ0?si=C6BQuF9r9B7cTAzl

[4] 醉人的口紅：白虹唱（歌詞版）好歌聽出好心情

YouTube Video by: Alan Kayangan.

https://youtu.be/3xlq-tKynIQ?si=BpdYMLrHk3ectqPC

[5] 賀新年:1948年-張帆唱（歌詞）好歌聽出好心情 

YouTube Video by: Alan Kayangan.

'The Age of Shanghainese Pop' by 

WONG KEE CHEE was where JT

acquired some of his information from.

Wishing readers, friends, contributing writers a Happy n Prosperous Lunar New Year 2025 !

Author: JT Chen.

Thanks JT for your time and

patience to post this Shanghai gem.

Another article by JT:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2019/02/inaugural-seniors-got-talent.html

Disclaimer:

Videos are copyrighted. 

Any violation, do inform.

They will be deleted.

Stella Chang Concert 2016 Singapore

Fred Ching Writes:

Many thanks to JT Chen for this massive article. Happy Lunar New Year to you, Brother Andy and all friends here! Wishing you great health and happiness.

I was fortunate to be attending this concert on this day 30 January, nine years ago, where Taiwanese Mandopop’s Iconic Diva Stella Chang performed some of her hits with a New Year’s twist. The two time Golden Melody Award winner for Best Mandarin Female singer belted some of her great hits and brought music souls on a beautiful reminiscing journey and a trip down nostalgic lane.

Love her crystal clear and distinctive vocals with powerful penetrating high notes. Many were touched by her voice as it grew in strength and vibrance over the course of her show. Here is Chang who was nicknamed Dongfang Bubai (The Invincible East) for her stellar record sales in the late 80s and early 90s with this CNY jingle songs.

Great to hear again JT Chen blast from the past and this upbeat tempo renditions. Thank you for posting once again, Brother Andy.

🍊🍊🧧🧧🍍🍍🐍..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEcOWEmz4YM

Stella Chang

張清芳 - 新年組曲

YouTube Video by: Stella Chang

A Music Letter From Shanghai To California n Singapore: Henri Gann

Henri Gann writes from a Chinese city...

'A Morning Walk In Shanghai'

YouTube Video by this blog's contributing 

writer Henri Gann since it started in 2009.

Thanks very much, Henri.

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Shanghai, an exotic city reflecting both its colonial past and its role as a modern metropolis tackling the climate crisis, felt to me like a society striving towards the same freedoms as the rest of the world. From the moment I stepped onto the Maglev train, which whisked me from the airport to the city in a mere eight minutes, I felt the contrast of old and new. We sped past lines of cars on the highway, while electric cars, motorcycles, and bicycles purred quietly through the streets, the only sound being the shrill whistles of policemen, which cut through the air like screeching birds.

In the early morning, I wandered through parks where older adults danced and sang joyfully, or played instruments like the flute, saxophone, and clarinet. The street food vendors in their small shops sold $1 meals to loyal regulars, creating a warm, communal atmosphere. I walked through the old city streets at the Bund, Huang Pu Road, and the French Concession, savoring each step.

Every day, I indulged in the incredible street food—the delicate xiao long bao became a staple for me. I discovered the unique flavors of Shanghai’s lo mien, the stringy noodles, sesame buns, scallion pastry bread, egg and scallion buns, pickled vegetables with braised pork, crab soup buns, and an array of rice cakes. Best of all was a burrito-like wrap of youtiao (fried dough) and scallions, dipped in mint sauce.

This, I realized, is the inner soul of Shanghai—where tradition and progress blend effortlessly, and the flavors, sights, and sounds linger long after you leave.

ILYA SEROV - 'C'est Si Bon'. 

(featuring: The Swing Kittens) 

YouTube Video by: Ilya Serov.

Author, images, videos by

 Henri Gann [sunglasses].

Beautiful Shanghai

[Strains of 'Red River Valley'.]

YouTube Video from Henri Gann.

Disclaimer:

This blog post is non-promotional, receives no financial

gains and written only in fun; with songs to dance to.

China's 60s Pops Golden Jazz Musicians: Peace Hotel (和平饭店) Shanghai (中國上海): Henri Gann

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Henri Gann travels much when he works and play. This former guitar boy with 60s 'Trekkers' SG band loves jazz. Here's his story about the oldest jazz band in the world. He took his precious time to write me his piece from China's most fun city.

Thanks, Henri.

My recent travels to Asia took me to Shanghai, a city once known as the Paris of the East or the Pearl of the Orient. While at the Bund, I came across the Peace Hotel, a place much wrote about in the history of Shanghai.

Picture 1

The Peace Hotel is a very impressive building on Nanking Street and it can be seen from the Bund. The granite structure building looks very much like the colonial buildings of Old Singapore. Additionally, it has a distinctive pyramid rooftop which can be seen from the Bund.

Picture 2

As I entered the lobby of the hotel, I was instantly struck by a feeling of the hotel past. Beautiful chandeliers and stained glass windows were displayed as it once was showing the grandeur of the hotel. The hallways were an art gallery.

Photographs of the silent movie star Charlie Chaplin, the renowned rocket scientist Qian Xuesen and the British war hero Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery were displayed together with photographs of the American President Bill Clinton, the father of radio Guglielmo Marconi, the famous British Playwright Sir Noel Coward and Edgar Snow, the man who had met Mao Tse Tung and who wrote the Red Star over China, a best seller book in the 60s.

Picture 3

Also lining the lobby hallways of the Peace Hotel were photo displays of many movies filmed at the Peace Hotel. Some of these were Shanghai Triad, the Empire of the Sun, the Silent War and the Last Aristocrats to name a few.

Picture 4

As I reached the far corner of the lobby and adjacent to the dining room, I finally came upon the famous Jazz Club. I was in awe looking at the pictures and newspaper clippings of the musicians who had once played at the club. It was estimated that the current jazz musicians had been playing together in the band for decades and that their ages ranged from the 80s to 90s.

Picture 5

As I entered the room, the rich mahogany dark wood furniture and wall paneling reminded me so much of the Old Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Sitting in rows and facing the bar counter were five musicians dressed in white suits and sitting upright with their musical instruments. If not for their silver hair, one would never have guessed their ages.

Picture 6

As the trumpet blared away together with the alto and tenor saxophone, the musicians played the Saints Go Marchin' In, to the beat of the drums, the double bass and accompanied by the piano. I could not believe the energy the musicians had displayed even after all these years and nightly performances. The carried on with, The Entertainer, the theme song from Sting (video below). It was a blast.

When they played Misty and Sinatra's It Had To Be You an elderly couple could not resist the dance floor. The audience applauded to every piece of the band's performance and the musicians always acknowledged with a modest smile, a nod or a wave to the crowd.

As I left the club, I could not help but feel nostalgic to the changing times after listening to the jazz musicians. In watching them perform I had added a sense of hope to my own pursuit of a fulfilling life.

Shanghai Bund by The Shanghai Sisters: Winnie Ho, Janet Lee, May Mow.

The Guinness World Records in 2006 had designated the group the Oldest Peace World Jazz Band. 

 Henri Gann with Andy Young: The guy who hates to be photographed with me. But he's OK alone, with his hat and sunglasses.

Images and Article: Henri Gann.

Wu Ying Yin (吳鶯音) : Nasal Queen of Chinese Evergreen

I am no Chinese scholar nor even speak the language but quite familiar with a few of her songs because she was as much a 40's Shanghai music icon as Zhou Xuan but I do not know her name and only managed to learn her identity through a few proficient and bi-lingually educated friends. 

Wu Yingyin (Woo Ing Ing - image) had passed away.  This songstress, known as the 'Nasal Queen' because of the quality of her voice, had recorded many songs which are now Chinese evergreens.

                                                     Wu Yingyin 吴莺音 - 岷江夜曲

Again, I learned of the songs through my mother, who used to have stacks of 78 rpm. records. Of course in the midst of moving from one home to another during the '50s when I was still a child, the heavy black records disappeared, either broken or just discarded. 

Some of the songs from these records included: The Bright Moon Sends My Love To You (Ming Yue Qian Li Ji Xiang Si), Regretting Not Falling For You (Hen Bu Zhong Qing Zai Dang Nian), Min River Serenade (Min Jiang Yue Qu), I Had Been Loved (Wo You Yi Duan Qing) and the New Year Song, Spring Returns (Da Di Hui Chun).

At 24 years, she won a nightclub singing contest and was immediately contracted to a Hong Kong record company and, I Wish To Forget You became a top hit in 1946.

A sampling of the song but not the singer. Uncertain.

Pathe Records in China made her famous and she went on to record many pop hits. Her voice was that of an *Oriole or Ying Yin as she recorded her first hit, I Want To Forget You. She went on to record more than two dozen hits.

Queen of the nasal voice became very famous and recorded many more songs in Hong Kong until the 1980's when she migrated to the US. She kept up her singing career.

At 82, she appeared in Singapore to hold a solo concert and became the oldest singer ever on record. She lived in Los Angeles, California with a family, friends and many fans to mourn her loss when she died at age 87.

Edited article from The Straits Times Life Section, Singapore (December 21st, 2009).

Images:  Google.

This article has been re-posted because of its popularity. 

*The Oriole bird  (image below) has a range of clear melodious whistles and Chinese songstresses of yore with beautiful voices have been compared to this particular bird.

Singapore Trivia: 
The image of the Oriole appears on the SG $500 bill under the Bird Series and the SG 50 Cents stamp (1991) and $1.00 stamp (2002) Garden Bird Series.

Zhou Xuan (周璇) On Artistic Vinyl Record Covers

Zhou Xuan's first album Wandering Songstress 天涯歌女

SOME SLEEVES SPEAK:

Continuing with the same theme, here's another revelation on Chinese record covers.  Chow Hsuan or Zhou Xuan (周璇) was one of the top seven-star singers in China from the 30s to the 50s and many of her songs are still favourites and being played even today. 

I have a collection of six Zhou Xuan records. That's about sixty songs altogether and includes titles like A Mahjong Game, Choosing A Wife, Little Bridal Chamber and the famous Wandering Songstress (天涯歌女).

These albums had been compiled many years after the original recordings and would not be in their respective order of production. Except for some slight scratching and hissing sound, they play well on the turn-table. But this posting is neither about her nor her songs.

This personal collection of vinyl discs are 33rpm Long Plays but come in a 10-inch and not 12-inch format.  Talk of outsourcing, this collection has many countries to its origin.  Although Zhou Xuan was from China, the record was issued by The Gramophone Company Ltd of Hayes, Middlesex, England.  The collection was recorded in Hong Kong but produced in India (like many of Cliff Richard's records).

Her third album.

The record label reveals a media company well-known in the earlier part of the twentieth century for its pre-movie documentaries in the cinemas. Pathe (image) with its cock-crowing icon is well known by many readers of this blog - you have to be at least in your 50s to remember this one.

Now here's the surprise. The unique drawings on the record covers had been painted by two Singapore artists; the earlier ones by Ms Nah QH and the later ones by Mr Tan KC. The first image above is described on the back sleeve and shows a "reproduction of a Chinese village scene of some *thirty years ago (probably 50 years ago today).  It depicts the Wandering Songstress on her travels from village to village, inn to inn, eating-house to eating-house earning her living by song."

Back Cover of Fourth Album

I guess the art form like the brush strokes, colours and Chinese characters reveal the artistry of paintings done those years.  But honestly, I am no art critic and the illustrations are as modern today and look good enough to be hung on the wall.  But the bonus about this collection is the English translation of the Chinese titles as it helps non-Chinese readers to understand the theme of each melody (image 3).  Wish they would do that today.

So there you are, the lady's from China, her songs were recorded in Hong Kong, the cover pictures were done in Singapore, the records pressed in India and the whole package controlled, produced and issued by England.  If you are complaining about outsourcing today just remember that it's been practised a long, long time ago.

(This posting is a byte size or bite size information about what little I know, to share with some of my younger readers. If you wish to know more about the other 4 covers and songs recorded just write in.)

You can read more about Zhou Xuan by clicking her name under Labels below.

Article/Images: Original/Own collection.

Searching For My Favourite Chinese Oldies: Yao Li - 那個不多情 姚莉

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Yao Li has passed away on 19 July 2019 from The Malay Mail.

Chinese Mandarin oldies: 那個不多情 姚莉 (Yao Li). 

YouTube: by sydneylam19

Songs I Love

If it weren't for the magic of the computer, Google and YouTube I would never have been able to retrieve or even listened to the Chinese oldies by the great prewar songstress Yao Li.  In fact, I didn't even know the singer's name nor the song title.  There was an evening I googled, Chinese Mandarin Oldies found the above video and recognised the melody immediately. Memories of my childhood flooded my data bank.



PYE Radio 1950s in our living room shophouse.

These songs were my mother's favourites and I used to listen to them in the 50s when she tuned in to some Chinese programmes from the radio. I am not sure if they were from our own stations or from overseas but the family's PYE radio certainly took us to places unknown and songs so beautiful. 

Today I wish to share these songs especially with those who are not familiar with Mandarin songs from the 1940s. But first... the singer.

Yao Li or Yáo Xiùyún (姚秀雲) was raised in Shanghai and rose to popularity singing in one of the city's dance halls.  She had her songs broadcasted over the radio in 1935 at aged 13 and recorded her first single with Pathe Records at 14 with Yan Hua (嚴華) called Xin xiao fang niu (新小放牛) or the new cowherd. 

She also often recorded as a duo with her pop singer brother. At that time she became a rival of Zhou Xuan, and was called Silver Voice as opposed to Zhou Xuan's Golden Voice (check Labels below).  Yao Li's success in Shanghai was partially due to the vocal training of the Russian diaspora court musicians. 

Yao Li

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/arts/music/yao-li-dead.html

In the 1940s,  she was encouraged to imitate Afro-American singers seen in Hollywood movies.  These movies were available in Shanghai. Her voice improved tremendously and in the 50s she developed a singing style like her idol Patti Page.

Because she got married and had family Yao Li halted her career in 1947. Following the Communist power seizure in China in 1949, popular music was banned and Yao fled to Hong Kong in 1950. She continued singing and recording as these became hits.   Within five years she made the popular 桃花江 (Peach Blossom River) as her singing voice was used in films to dub those of famous Chinese actresses.  Soon the featured songs became hits for Yao Li too. 

In 1967  she halted her singing career and within two years acquired a position as an executive with EMI Music Hong Kong.  She returned to performing in Taiwan from 1970 and retired in 1975.

The above song on YouTube is one that I listen to very often and the melody never strays from my mind.  Roughly translated this song, (姚莉 -那個不多情 姚莉) means, That's Not Sentimental.  Ironical. Another favourite of mine is  The Spring Breeze Kisses My Face (姚莉 - 春風吻上我的臉) recorded in 1956.

There are still many other Chinese melodies swimming in my mind and if I find them I shall share them on this blog. 

Check Richard Rajoo and Yao Li. Connect below:

.: Richard Rajoo Recalls Famous Yao Li [姚莉] Songs His Mother Loved...

Edited information from Wikipedia and whatsinmyipodblogspot. 

Certain information about Yao Li may not be accurate and I stand corrected.

19 July 2019

She passed away in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and has given a performance in 2012. May she Rest In Peace.

Images: Google.

Grace Chang 葛蘭 'Mambo Girl' 我愛 Cha Cha Waterloo Street Rojak

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1950's Chinese Music Education:

She drew the crowd to the cinema like pieces of iron to a magnet. She was not only an actress but a singer and an accomplished dancer. And she was beautiful. Following Hollywood's movie musicals this lady did the same to Chinese cinema.

She was born in China, grew up in Shanghai, went to Hong Kong in 1949 and began her career there. Grace Zhang/Ge Lan or Zhang Yu Fang is still a favourite today.

There is a lot of Western influence in her music and except for Zhou Xuan (previous posting), appeared in the movies mostly in cameo roles or solely on the soundtrack. Grace Chang was foremost an actress although she starred in musicals.

Her movies were very popular in Singapore. She started from 1953 and after starring and co-starring in nearly three dozen movies like Mambo Girl, Spring Song, Air Hostess, Wild Wild Rose and Sun, Moon And Star her popularity soared and she was considered, for some time, the queen of musicals.

In 1959 she sang on NBC/US television on the Dinah Shore show. Between 1950 and 1960 she also made records for the Bai-Dai label. Some personal favourites are, I Love The Cha-Cha, Carmen, *I Want Your Love (wo yao ni de ai), Oh Calypso and I Want To Fly In The Blue Sky.

I would rush to the Cathay Cinema at Prinsep Street to watch these musicals. It was also the first time, as a teenager, had seen such a pair of long legs! Or did she really have them? I could have mistaken her with Cyd Charisse.

 

Grace Chang Sings the  Cha Cha.

YouTube by loveisblu

She was lovely and sparked the screen with her personality, enthusiasm and genuine smile. Grace Chang was a favourite of my mother too and we would both watch her movies at the Queen's Cinema. I remember her appearing in a technicolor movie [this fact had to be ascertained since not all movies then were in colour] called Air Hostess. She and a host of other girls were an eyeful. At that time these girls were sumthin'.

The Indian rojak (spicy, tasty meal) at Waterloo Street and the National Library came afterwards. Rojak is an Indian salad popular with the locals that's filled with tofu cakes, prawns and hot-chilly potatoes.

And the biggest upset? Not a stomach upset but not collecting her vinyl records a long time ago, especially her 78s RPM records, which would be treasures today.

*I Want You To Be My Baby - Georgia Gibbs.

YouTube Videos: DurianDave & boogetman65

Image: http://www.softfilm.blogspot.com/

Original article: Andy Lim Collection.